Instant Pot Pressure cooker Keto Taiwanese 3 cup chicken is a fragrant, satisfying dish bursting with flavor. Garlic, ginger and basil fragrance and combine with sesame oil, Shaoxing wine and soy sauce for an easy, traditional authentic dish that will have you begging for more.

HISTORY BEHIND TAIWANESE 3 CUP CHICKEN SAN BEI JI:

Although there are many different variations to this dish, the basic recipe calls for equal amounts of soy sauce, cooking wine, and sesame oil.

Despite it being called 3 cup chicken, you’re not actually using a cup of each—more like a shot glass to two of each. I suppose if you were using a whole huge chicken and small cups, that math might work out.

But I used two pounds of chicken for this dish and for this recipe, I used ¼ cups each of the three sauce ingredients.

TYPICAL CUTS OF CHICKEN FOR TAIWANESE 3 CUP CHICKEN:

In Taiwan, San Bei Gi would normally be made with chicken that’s been chopped into bite-sized, bone-in pieces, typically a chicken drumstick. For this, you either need a cooperative butcher or some crazy cleaver skills.

Sadly, I have neither, so I used skinless boneless chicken thighs.

HOW MUCH GARLIC??

I know. It seems crazy. But #trusturvashi You will want all of this. It tastes FANTASTIC.

Cooking the garlic in oil helps flavor the oil while also cooking down some of the pungency in the garlic.

PRESSURE COOKER SAUCE AMOUNT:

Sanbeiji is traditionally served with no sauce. You cook the dish until the sauce rather all evaporates, or is absorbed by the chicken.

I’m still experimenting on this a little because I will tell you, this dish produces more sauce when cooked in a pressure cooker than when you cook it on the stove.

So, it’s not a totally dry casserole like you’d get if you cooked it stovetop.

Your choices are to:

• Embrace lots of lovely sauce and enjoy it with bok choy, spinach, or rice
• Sauté after cooking to reduce the liquid, but be aware it might overcook your chicken a little
• Try sautéing some of the cooking liquid before you cook (I didn’t try this so I can’t report on how this works)

Me, I love the sauce so I’m going with option 1.

MAKING THIS VEGAN:

Daniel Bush from my facebook group make this with tofu and tempeh instead of the chicken and said it was fantastic, with no other changes.

If you try that, be sure to thank him for experimenting for you!

EQUIPMENT YOU MAY NEED TO MAKE THIS INSTANT POT PRESSURE COOKER TAIWANESE 3 CUP CHICKEN SAN BEI JI:

• Instant Pot Mini Duo, or Instant pot 6 quarts, or Instant Pot 8 Quarts
• Measuring Cups
• My favorite Cutting Board
• Good set of Kitchen Knives

★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! Just click on the stars in the recipe card to rate. 

4.13 from 16 votes

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Instant Pot Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji) Recipe

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Instant Pot Taiwanese 3 cup chicken is a fragrant, satisfying dish bursting with flavor. Garlic, ginger and basil fragrance and combine with sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce for an easy, traditional authentic dish that will have you begging for more.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese, Taiwanese

Dietary Consideration: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, High Fat, High Protein, Keto, Low Carb, Low Sugar, Paleo

Cooking Style: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Ease of Cooking: Pour and Cook, Under 30 Mins

Recipe Type: Chicken, Pressure Cooker

Servings: 6

Calories: 307 kcal

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 6 dried red chilis
• 1/4 cup smashed garlic peel cloves, smack with the side of a knife
• 2 Tablespoons ginger sliced into matchsticks
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut in half.
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine or pale dry sherry
• Salt to taste

For Finishing

• 1/4 cup Thai basil chopped, or regular basil
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum or if NOT low carb, 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with water for a slurry

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Turn your Instant Pot to Sauté and when it is hot, add the oil. Once the oil is ot, add the chilies, ginger, and garlic and let them fry for 2 mins until the ginger and garlic are just starting to crisp.

2. Dump in everything except the basil.
3. Cook for 7 mins 10 mins NPR.
4. Open the lid and turn the pot on Sauté.
5. Add chopped basil leaves and stir.
6. When the liquid boils, sprinkle the xanthum gum and let it thicken, or add cornstarch slurry to let it thicken
7. EAT!

Recipe Notes

For a vegetarian version, substitute tofu and/or tempeh instead of the chicken and follow all other directions as listed.

Nutrition facts per serving

307kcal | Fat: 15g | Saturated fat: 2g | Carbohydrates: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Protein: 31g

I am not a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information is provided a courtesy, and can vary depending on the exact ingredients you use.